Love Song for a Vampire
by Kendra Luehr
Summary: As Barnabas lies on his deathbed, he reflects on his darling Josette and how he hopes to be reunited with her... ::Songfic oneshot to Annie Lennox's "Love Song for a Vampire":: PLEASE R&R!


**A/N**: Alright, I don't ship Barnabas/Josette at all (I actually used to before the writers kept throwing the pairing in my face), but I felt that this idea was too sweet to pass up. I love Annie Lennox's "Song for a Vampire", so this idea came to me while listening to it this evening. Sorry if it's crappy, but I actually just typed it all up without a rough draft for a change, so that's why if you feel that way. lol Anywhos, I don't own Dark Shadows OR Annie Lennox's "Song for a Vampire", so don't ask! Enjoy! ;0)

"Love Song for a Vampire"

The elderly and once beloved Barnabas Collins laid weakly amidst a sea of blankets, his eyes that used to shine so vibrantly now casting downward, completely devoid of all mirth and brilliance. He was dying, and no one was there for him any longer… Julia, Willie, and all the other friends of his past were long since deceased, and amidst his loneliness he had pleaded with Angelique to make him mortal again. Somehow seeing past the blackness of her heart, she had taken pity on him and restored him to his actual age.

So now, listlessly pulling the blankets closer about his chin, he glanced over toward his nightstand and felt his heart clench at the sight of Josette's music box. Reaching out a shaking hand, he clumsily lifted the lid and allowed it to play the tinkling melody that he had always held so dear – the melody that they had first danced to at the du Pres' grand ball.

Come into these arms again  
And lay your body down  
The rhythm of this trembling heart  
It's beating like a drum  
It beats for you, it bleeds for you  
It knows not how it sounds  
For it is the drum of drums  
It is the song of songs

Oh, how he loved her… There wasn't a moment that he didn't think of his darling Josette in all her blushing brilliance. The sparkling amber of her eyes, the delicate curve of her rosy cheeks, the refined arch of her kohl lashes…all these delicate traits made up the woman of his innermost thoughts, dreams, and desires, and yet…he knew he could never be with her. Not really.

Once I had the rarest rose  
That ever deigned to bloom  
Cruel winter chilled the bud  
And stole my flower too soon  
Oh loneliness  
Oh hopelessness  
To search the ends of time  
For there is in all the world  
No greater love than mine

Somehow the moment Josette leapt to her bone-crushing demise, Barnabas knew deep in his soul that he would never see her again…that he would not be granted one of the fairytale endings he enjoyed reading as a child. Like the soft, powdery snow of winter, their love had been perfection until Angelique had carried through her promised revenge, Barnabas somehow still managing to believe that their love would transmit through to another time. Foolishly enough, he had acted upon this notion in many instances – first with Maggie Evans, then with Rachel Drummond, and finally, the most pronounced blow to his heart, with Kitty Soams. He had found his Josette again – he _had,_ but, as he was always destined to, he had lost her amidst a cruel turn of fate.

Love O love O love  
O love O love O love  
O love still falls the rain  
O love O love  
O love O love O love  
O love still falls the night  
Love O love O love  
O love O love O love  
O love be mine forever (be mine forever)  
Love O love O love  
O love O love O love  
O love O love O love  
O love O love O love

Feeling a lone tear trickle down his worn and wrinkled cheek, Barnabas closed the music box in despair and resigned himself to the sorrow he had always embraced. He didn't understand it, but without Josette he never felt complete – he never felt _happy,_ and that was the greatest trial of them all.

With a labored sigh, Barnabas' lashes fluttered closed and his hands folded over his chest as if, at long last, he were finally at peace.

Let me be the only one  
To keep you from the cold  
Now the floor of heav'n is laid  
With stars of brightest gold  
They shine for you  
They shine for you  
They burn for all to see  
Come into these arms again  
And set this spirit free

Blinking profusely, Barnabas found himself standing amidst a foggy wonderland, the gentle mists of white ensconcing him as the glittering stars danced closely overhead. When he gazed down at his hands, he discovered that they were no longer old and wrinkled, but as youthful as they had been in his late twenties. Unable to prevent the smile from spreading across his lips, Barnabas then gazed about him in awe as he realized that this was no ordinary place.

"Mon cher?"

Gasping at the sound of the voice – that _voice_ – Barnabas whirled around in order to behold the radiant beauty of his darling Josette, a smile forming along her painted lips as she wordlessly held out her arms.

Feeling tears coming to his eyes, Barnabas called her name and swept her into his unyielding embrace, the two lovers' tears mingling as they realized that, at long last, they would finally be together.


End file.
